A new poll conducted by Ipsos for The Mail on Sunday has revealed that Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, is disliked by the majority of Brits, with only 25 percent of those surveyed expressing a favorable opinion of her. The poll, which marks the first anniversary of King Charles' Coronation, shows that while most members of the Royal Family have seen their approval ratings rise, Meghan's popularity remains unchanged.
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, also finds himself near the bottom of the table, with only 31 percent of Brits expressing a positive view of him. The couple fares slightly better with younger demographics, with 42 percent of 18 to 34-year-olds viewing Meghan favorably, compared to just 12 percent of 55 to 75-year-olds. Harry's approval ratings stand at 49 percent among the younger generation and 18 percent among the older generation.
Interestingly, the poll also revealed that one in three people believe Prince Harry should temporarily return to his role as a full-time royal while King Charles and the Princess of Wales deal with health complications. This sentiment highlights the public's desire for stability within the Royal Family during challenging times.
In contrast to the Sussexes, King Charles has garnered the approval of the majority of the British public, with 56 percent believing that he is doing a good job as the reigning monarch. The most popular members of the Royal Family, however, are the Prince and Princess of Wales, who boast an impressive 69 percent approval rating. At the other end of the spectrum, Prince Andrew finds himself at the bottom of the leaderboard, with only one in eight people backing him.
The poll, which surveyed 2,166 British adults, also indicates a clear majority in favor of maintaining the monarchy, with only around a quarter of respondents expressing a desire for a republic. However, the survey also revealed that one in three people do not trust the accuracy of pictures released by Buckingham Palace, with younger generations being the most skeptical.
Gideon Skinner, a representative from the polling firm, cautioned, "As the King returns to public duties he is greeted by a further boost in favourability ratings for himself and other core members of the Royal Family. The question for the monarchy is whether this is a short-term improvement driven by a swell in public sympathy or whether it can be maintained - particularly among younger generations where the Royals need to focus their engagement efforts."
The poll results come as Meghan Markle has decided not to accompany Prince Harry to a service at St Paul's Cathedral on May 8, which celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games. Instead, the Duchess of Sussex will fly directly from the US to Nigeria to meet her husband for an official visit immediately after the event.
Royal commentator Richard Eden suggests that Meghan's decision to skip the UK visit may be influenced by her concerns about feeling unwelcome by royalists at St Paul's for the second time. Speaking on Palace Confidential, Eden said, "She does not want to return to Britain in a hurry. There are many people here who won't be sad about that. Meghan will be wary of getting booed at St Paul's."
